Frog.



J. G. KIINNARD.

FROG.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT4 Z9. 1911 Paterltdy Feb. 4, 1913.

FIG.3.

I l Lr www] 5 j WITNESSE vinsrrED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

JAMES G. KINNARnoF KITTANNING, PENNsyLvAmA, ASSIGNon oF ONE-THIRD To .moon MERWINE, or KITTANNING, 1EinrsYInaNra.`

FROG.

Toal whom t mag/concern Be it known that I, JAMES G. KINNARD, a resident of Kittanning in the county of Armstrong and State of lennsylvania, ave invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Frogs, of which the following'pis a specification.

The object' of this invention is to provide an eicient frog of improved construction, wherein the rail of a main track extends uninterruptedly through a gap in a rail of the switching track, the gap being closed for switching purposes by a` section of track which is adapted to swing over the main track. Frog points and their associated guard rails are dispensed with, no break in the main track being necessary.'

Included in the invention are improved means for operating the movable track sec- `tion; means for locking the same in closed position; and means for guarding the free extremity of the movable track when inv open position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan of portions of a main and switching tracks illustrating the improved, frog in operative position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig- 3 is a top plan of the frog drawn to a larger scale than in Fig. 1, parts being shown in section. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are cross sections on lines 1-4, 5M5, and 6 6, respectively, of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 2 and 2 indicate, respectively, the rails of a main track, and 3 and 3 the rails of a switching track, rail 3 crossing the main track rail 2 and formed with a gap through which track 2 extends uninterruptedly. The frog is preferably mounted on a base plate 4- Which rests on the usual cross ties.

The gap in the switching track 3 is closed by the movable track piece' or section 5 which is here shown hinged at one end at 6, the parts immediately hinged together consisting preferably of projection 3 of rail 3 and a projection 5 of the movable track section. As thus arranged the hinge is located at one end of the movable track with the extremity of the latter adapt- I ed to abut one of the gap-forming cxtremities of rail 3 when closed. Rail and its gap-closing section 5 are at an elevation sufficiently higher than the main track rail Spccication of Letters Patent. appneation mea september 2g, ian.. seriaim 651.981.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

2 to permit undercut portion 7 of the hinged rail to swing thereacrossas in Fig. `5. The'free extremity of the hinged rail is beveled at 8 to coperate with the correspfnging bevel 8 of the gap extremity of 'rai When the hinged rail is in open position, as in Fig. 1, its extremity 8is` entered in a secured to plate 4, the ends of the latterl to avoid catching chains or other that may hang from passing trains.

The entire length 'of hinged track section 5 bears on base plate 4 excepting the undercut extremity thereofwhich bridges and is supported by the main track rail 2 .when the frog is closed. Thus the hinged section is positively supported throughout its whole length, and as thle inner face thereof is shaped to fit and embrace the main track rail 2 it is solidly sustained at every point from one end to the other. As the hinged rail slides'on the base plate the latter serves as a guide as wellv as a support for accu- .rately directing said rail when moving to and from closed position. plate and hinged rail coperating as described a very substantial construction is had, one that can not yield downwardly under the heaviest load.

' A characteristic of the invention isrthe parts for the movable rail which, in the preferred mounted in base plate et and'at its upper end provided with a crank 12, and at its lower end beneathvplate 4 with crank 13 from which extends rod 14 to bell-crank 15, the

frog and switch, not shown, are operated simultaneously.

The extremity of crank 12 at the upper end of shaft 11 is pivoted to link 17 which latter is pivoted to the movable rail section. On crank 12 is stop 18 which is engaged by the tail-like projection 19 on link 17 when the movable track rail 5 is in gap-closing position, as in Fig. 3, at such time link 17 and crank 412 being in alinement and locking the rail in closed position, so that it is quite impossible for t-he latter to be moved sidewise or opened by other being rounded at 10', as shown in Fig. 2,.\

With the base adaptation, consists of a vertical shaft 11v recess 9 of the combined stop and guard 10 combined operating and locking mechanism A latter in turn being connected by rod 16 tothe switch throwing mechanism, so that theg .Il l

fthan the operating mechanism. The stability of the movable rail part 'in gapclosing position is thus assured.

The parts are preferably so arranged that the movable rail and its attendant parts arel arranged between the rails of the main track with the movable rail swinging out- Wardly over the main track rail 2 for closing. the gap in the rail of the switching v track.

The advantages 'of the invention are that the usual frog points and guard'rails are dispensed with, the main track is continuous or uninterrupted, the crossing iseifected A by a single movable rail section, and this movable section is securely locked when the switching track is in use. The e'iciency of the frog is the same regardless of the direction from which trains'approach, and the mechanism is so simple that there is practically no danger of disorder.

1. In a frog, the combination of the rail of one track having an interruption, the. rail of anothertrack extending continuously through the interruption, a single piece of track hin'gcdto swing across the continuously extending rail'and close the.

gap in the interrupted rail, a shaft provided with a crank, a link connecting the crank and the hinged track with the link and crank adapted to aline and lock the said track in gap-closing position, and

means for operating the crank.

2. In a frog, the combination of the rail jection which engages the stop on the crank for holding the crank and link alined and locking the hinged track in gap-closing position, and shaft operating means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 50 in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES G. KINNARDQ W'itnosses Y AUSTIN CLARK,A R. L. RALsroN. 

